Poker Flash
by cassy1994
Summary: it was normal, babysitting then going to a friends for a game of poker. well she'll be playing a game of poker alright, just not with the people she thought she would as she steps out of her house to a world she only knows about through the movies.
1. Chapter 1

Poker Flash

I walked down the street, on my way home from babysitting, just watched my favorite movie! The Newsies! I mean with a movie like that all those great actors, and they weren't just great they were gorgeous!

Some of my friends and I had set up a game of poker, though they said I shouldn't play because recently I had been really hyper and twitchy and shaky and everything else like that. I just laughed it off and wanted to know why I shouldn't be allowed to play poker because of that. I had to go home from babysitting, get some food in my body and then I was off to the poker game, even though I wasn't much of a gambler.

I jumped when my phone rang, and answered it. "Helllllllllllooooooooooooo!"

"Hey, Skitters! You still coming to the game tonight?" I laughed, my friend Tanya just didn't know the Newsies right.

"Tans, you know if your going to call me by a newsie name, get the name right. The guys name is Skittery, not Skitters. And of course I'm coming to the game tonight, I helped set it up why wouldn't I come." I said, she laughed.

"I didn't even know there was a news person named Skittery, I just used it because of how jumpy you've been lately, besides that it's too late to change it, everyone agrees it suits you." I sighed dramatically.

"Its not news person, it's newsie. And secondly, how could you not know Skittery was a newsie. He's like one of my favorites. And 'C', if I'm so jumpy why not call me Jumps instead of Skitters." I said, turning into my yard and going around back to go inside.

"I already told you everyone else likes Skitters, so Skitters it is. And I thought the gambler guy person was your favorite." I rolled my eyes at her lack of knowledge for the Newsies.

"His name is Racetrack, and he's one of my favorites too. As are Mush, Kid Blink, and Spot. And Fine, I'll introduce myself as Skitters to new people I meet." I said laughing a little.

"You promise." She demanded.

"I promise." I said, it wasn't likely I would meet anyone new, but hey a promise is a promise. "I have to go, my phones almost dead and I gotta eat something before heading to your place."

I stepped inside my house as she said 'Okay' and hung up. I went up to my room and plugged in my phone just as it died. I shrugged and put my money I had earned from babysitting in my piggy bank. Then went downstairs to get something quick to eat.

Nothing looked good to eat, so I went back upstairs to grab my jacket and lucky newsboy hat before leaving to go to Tanya's for a game of poker. I stepped outside and did a double take. Every thing was different.

I turned to go back inside and saw that I was just inside an alley. I started shaking as I looked around me. Skyscrapers, cobblestone roads, hazy smell of old time. I looked around and saw some guys in my favorite outfits, a newsie outfit. I looked at my own clothes, they were more modern but they blended well enough, kahki capri's, light colored shirt, vest over that, and the jacket and hat I had. So, I had dressed up when I got dressed today, nothing better when you are dressed like a newsie.

I looked around again and figured the place looked like New York City, in 1900's or at least it looked like the Hollywood version of 1899 New York City from the Newsies.

I let out a giggle, I knew I was dreaming but this was a really good dream, anything to do with the Newsies was really good, or mostly it was. I started twitching with excitement. I heard it then, the echoes I didn't realize I was listening for.

"Extry, Extry! Read all about it!" I suppressed another giggle, but couldn't contain the shivers that ran through me.

I started walking towards the voice. I expected to be disappointed by the looks of the real newsies, because I was used to the gorgeous Hollywood looks of Trey Parker, Gabriel Damon, Aaron Lohr, Max Casella, and Michael A. Goorjian. But when I got to the source of the voice. I was surprised to see that Hollywood even had physical descriptions down correctly.

I let my eyes wander over the newsie, tall, blonde, blue eye, leather eyepatch, only difference between him and Trey Parker playin' Kid Blink, was that this guy was better lookin'. I did not just think that, immediate apologies to Trey. He was sellin' to two elderly people. I waited a bit and walked over to him when he was done with the elderly.

"'scuse meh!" I said, softly almost shyly, shaking almost uncontrollably. "I'se been travelin' fo' a while and I'se needs ta know. Whe'es we at?"

My New York accent was terrible, but he smiled and said, "Ya in Manhatten, New Yawk."

His smile was contagious and I smiled back, still shivering. "T'anks, uh, I'se know dis is a bad question but what yeah is it?"

"De yeah? It's 1899." He said smilin' still, "Ya knows, youse does sound like youse from New Yawk, whe'es youse from?"

I giggled, and readjusted my hat in order to stop the shakes. "No'th." I said smilin', "T'anks fo' tellin' whe'e I'se at, uh..."

I know his name, but I can't say it that would freak him out. "Kid Blink, and youse?"

I knew it! I smiled at him twitching slightly, "I'se gots lotsa names but friends calls meh Skitters, 'cause I'se shakes so much." I promised I would introduce myself like that.

He laughed, "I'se can sees that. I knows a newsie named Skittery. So's ya gots a place to stays the night?"

I noticed then the sky was gettin dark. "No, but I ain't gots any money ta stay anys place." I said sadly, because I had put all my money in my piggy bank, when we play poker we usually don't play with actual money.

"You'se can borrows money ta stay at de lodge tanight." He said, I almost giggled at the thought of me stayin' at the newsboys lodge. "An' tamawwah you'se can sell da papes ta pay back w'at ya borrows."

"Are ya goin' ta de lodge now?" I asked, he still had papers in his hands.

"Nah, I'se got ta sell de rest of me papes." He said.

"Could I sells wit' ya tonight, an' give ya what I makes?" I asked hopeful. He looked me over and laughed as I started moving my hand as if playin' a piano.

"Sh'o." He said handing me a pape. "Read throughs dis, den try ta sell it ta me and I sees if ya gots what it takes ta sell papes."

I nodded, rule number one headlines don't sell papes newsies sell papes. I read through the headlines though. Murder in Brooklyn, Corpse in an Alley, Lovenest in the Bronx. Then the boring ones too were there.

Then I found one. "I'se ain't gonna shout it at ya, 'cause we's standin' so close tos each other."

He smiled and let me say my version of the headline. He handed me the rest of his papes and started walking away. "Youse can sell those ones, I'se keep watch ans tell yas if yas doin' it right."

I smiled back, I followed. I suddenly heard a cheer followed by a ring to a bell. I started to skip around Kid Blink which caused him to laugh. I stopped skipping, and walked next to him. We turned a block and I saw the crowd around a street boxing ring.

I crossed the street about halfway down the block, and started shouting. "Extry, extry. Scandel in politician's office. Mayor caught in bed with male coworker."

One of the men in the crowd turned and said, "I'll take one of those."

I smiled, "Thank ya sir. Penny a pape! Scandel in office brings new meaning to crooked politician."

Kid Blink's pov

Skitters was approached by couple of women. I was watching making sure she was doin' it right.

"Hey, Blink" I jumped and turned to Mush.

"Heya Mush, how's it rollin'?" I asked.

"Fine, you sells all ya papes?" I shook my head.

"Ya sees that goil ove' der." I pointed to Skitters, Mush scanned the crowd and nodded when he spotted her.

"Da one whos dressed like a boy?" He asked, I resisted the urge to hold him.

"She's new, and ain't got a place ta stay de night, and she ain't gots any money, told her she could stay at de lodgin' house and barrah what she needs ta stay and then sell papes tamawah ta pay meh back." I explained ta him. He smiled, and then his expression changed.

"It's da bulls, man we'se gotta beat it." I saw what he meant, and went to get the girl.

Skitters pov.

"Thank ya sir." I said to the gentleman who had just bought a pape. I had two papes left.

"Excuse me, lady but shouldn't you be gettin' home to ya mama?" I turned to the voice, and really started shaking when I saw it was an officer.

"Ain't got one, and I'se cain't go home till all me papes is sold." I said quickly, lyin' a bit. I glanced around lookin' for Kid Blink.

"Well, then I'll have ta escort you to the refuge, orphans need a place ta stay." I shivered at the thought of going to the refuge, it went by unnoticed because I was already twitching.

"No... No, off'cer that ain't nescessary. Sees meh brotheh and I, we has ta sell all our papes and bring our pop back the money. I's gots ta fin' me brudda, sir." I said lying a lot.

"Skitters! Skitters! Whe'es ya at Skitters!" I heard Kid Blink shouting for me.

"See off'ceh me brudda's lookin' fo' meh." I said turning to go find Blink. I stopped when the officer grabbed my wrist. "Blink, I'se ova he'e."

I turned back to the officer, still shaking. He said, "Ya got a problem with cops, why ya shaking so bad?"

I stared at him like he was crazy, "I's been shakin' since before I'se born. Why they calls me Skitters." Another lie.

I turned to look for Blink. He emerged from the crowd and saw me. I turned back to the officer. "Told ya me brudda's lookin' fo' meh."

Kid Blink shook his head. "Off'seh, me sista ain't causin' no problems is she?"

The officer released my grip and stared at Kid Blink's eye patch. "You children get home." He left.

"T'anks, sorry I called you'se me brudda." I said to him, he smiled.

"Say what ya hafta to get away from de bulls." He said back.

"Blink ya got 'er, now lets outta he'e befo'e he get suspicious." I glanced at the source of the voice, omgosh it was Aaron Lohr! Well, almost. Definitely better looking. This guy had to be Mush, if he wasn't I would be ashamed of myself.

Kid Blink nodded and we started to go, I hollered when I felt someone grab my wrist. I turned and pulled my wrist free.

"I want two papes," The man who had grabbed my wrist said.

I nodded, "Penny a pape, seh."

"I heard about the scandel, with the mayor, want ta read it for meself." He said, handing over two pennies and I handed over my remaining papes.

He left muttering about the political outrage. I turned and caught up to Kid Blink and Mush, who were waiting for me at the corner. I fished in my pockets for all the coins I had, and started to give them to Blink.

"Holds on to 'em and pay meh back tamorra." He said.

We walked a bit in silence, then Mush spoke up. "I'm Mush, Blink he'e is bad with intraducin' people."

I smiled, and giggled a bit before saying, "My friends calls meh Skitters, 'cause I'se shakes so much."

"You do shake a bit." He responded before turning to Blink. "Oh, Blink, Spot and Race set up a pokah game tanight, you in?"

"Spot Conlons?" I wondered outloud.

Mush and Blink looked at me funny, then Mush asked, "You hoid o' him?"

"Ya could say dat." I said, I wasn't going to say anything else.

Mush finally spoke again, "So ya playin' Blink?"

"We bettin' money?" Blink asked, Mush shook his head. "Ya knows I t'ink Race wants us ta play without money cause he's different."

"The'es nuthin' wrong with bein' diff'rent." Mush said quietly, looking away from Blink. I saw Blink smile.

"I neveh said the'e was, but if he wasn't diff'rent why would he play pokeh without money with a bunch of guys?" Blink said gazing at Mush with a type of longing, when Mush looked up and Blink looked away.

"He probably is different, but so am I." Mush said quietly, looking at Blink. Blink met his eyes.

I figured they had the hots for each other, and they would have said it too, but they forgot I was there. So I spoke up, "You two can talks 'bout who diff'rent latah but I'm kinda leadin' de way to a lodgin' house I've nevah been ta befo'e."

They looked at me, I looked back innocently before starting to skip around them. There was no way I was gonna stand still, especially not when talking to my two favorite newsies. They laughed and started leading the way again. We got to the lodge and went inside. They introduced me to Kloppman. I shook his hand, before Mush and Blink lead me to the bunk room.

"And this is the bunkroom." Blink said finishing the short tour of the lodging house.

Mush opened the door and pointed to a circle of guys in the room, a couple of them I recognized as hotter real life counterparts to the actors. I saw Boots, Specs, Dutchy, Crutchy, Race and Spot. Race and Spot had their heads bowed as if discussing something. Mush said, "And those are the guys. Guys, this is..."

Racetrack looked up as Mush was talking, and interrupted him upon meeting my eyes. "Jumps."

(Review please.)


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Racetrack looked up as Mush was talking, and interrupted him upon meeting my eyes. "Jumps. Spot, tell me I ain't seein' t'ings. Tell me that's Jumps."

Spot looked over at me, his eyes widening, "No you'se ain't seein' t'ings, that's Jumps. If I eveh knew 'er, that'd be 'er."

Blink looked at them confused. "You sho', 'cause she says 'er name is Skitters."

"No, dat's Jumps." Race and Spot said at the same time.

I stared in wonder at the Italian and the Irish. I knew them because they were in my favorite movie, so that made sense but the fact that they knew me was difficult to understand.

"How did we meet?" I asked, shifting uneasily; I do not like being still, hence the nickname!

"Um... I believe it was..." Race seemed uneasy as well, but stopped when Spot interrupted.

"A pokah game. Couple o' yeahs ago." Spot said.

Boots face lit up and Crutchy started mumbling, "I doan believe it, a goil dat plays pokah."

Blink and Mush joined the circle. I followed and started to sit next to them but Race spoke up.

"If you'se in, you'se sittin' ovah he'e, Jumps." I glanced at him and he patted next to him, indicating that I would be sitting between him and Spot. Spot nodded in agreement, I had been intending on playing poker anyhow. So I sat between them.

Dutchy glanced at me. "So, ya played pokah befo'e." I nodded, "How often ya play."

I shrugged, "Used ta watch me fadda play, he lost eve'y game he evah played and still I would watch 'im play." I paused, tears bubbling under my lower eyelids, above my cheekbones. "I realized that it was the reason he nevah came home when I was neah ten. I stumbled upon his body the day I turned ten, when I realized he was dead I screamed and screamed. Some one found me and got help to take care of my father, as soon as my mother learned that I knew who did it we moved. Since then I refuse to play poker with money." I had lost the accent sometime while I was explaining my fathers real death.

I still felt the tears threaten and Spot put his hand on my knee as if to comfort me. I smiled up at him.

"And dat's whys we play wid no money too, Jumps, you'se de one dat sta'ted dat." I sent Race a smile as well. "So, you in?"

I nodded and he dealt the cards out to everyone, saying their names as he dealt to them, so I would know them. We heard giggling and the door opened. There stood Snitch, Skittery, and Bumlets. Mush looked up and started to introduce the new-comers.

"That's Snitch, Skittery, and Bumlets. Guys this is..." I fidgeted as he was interrupted yet again.

"Jumps." Bumlets said, not looking at me but at Spot and Race for confirmation, who nodded in return.

"How do you know 'er as Jumps? She told us 'er name was Skitters." Mush complained.

Blink suddenly glared at me. "So's ya lyin'. What is your real name?"

I shrugged, "I promised my best friend I would introduce myself as Skitters when I met new people, because that's what she nicknamed me. But I came in and Race and Spot knew me as Jumps, I don't know why but they did." I answered.

Bumlets spoke up, "I know her as Jumps, cause dat's what Spot and Race calls 'er when she was..."

"Don't finish dat sentence, Bums." Race threatened, a dark look in his usually happy eyes.

Now I really wanted to know how they knew me. Blink still glared at me with his lone blue eye.

"So, wadda we call you'se, then?" He finally said ending the glare.

"Since Skitters sounds close ta Skittery and Skittery is taken, we can go wid Jumps fo' 'er." Bumlets said.

There were nods of agreement around the circle, Race was upset and started getting huffy. "You th'ee gonna play?"

"How ya playin?" Snitch asked.

"No money. So ya in or not?" Race said exasperated.

"I'se goin' up ta da roof." Snitch said. Skittery went up as well, but Bumlets joined the group.

Race dealt him in and we started the game.

I lost the first round, but that's my strategy. I casually shook off my jacket, I grinned inwardly for wearing layers, layers in strip poker can be good sometimes. I won the next couple of rounds, folding twice before winning a few more. I lost another round due to carelessness and failing to see that Race was cheating, I removed my vest.

I didn't mind though, the game was more between Race, Spot and I, because everyone else was losing badly. Spot had lost his shirts, but he was wearing his suspenders on his shoulders and showing off his well defined bronzed skin. Race had lost his vest and over-shirt, he tightened his hat over his head in frustration. I smirked everyone else was down to bare minimum, reveling toned bodies, impeccable muscles and variously shaded healthy skin.

I glanced at my new cards, there was no way Race could cheat me with this hand. I smirked when several of the others folded, but not Spot and definitely not Race. We reveled our cards, Race and Spot managed to tie and groaned when they saw I had the upper hand.

They about removed their clothing when we heard a crash at the roof stairs. Looking towards them, we saw Skittery laughing up a few staps as Snitch lay sprawled at the foot of the steps laughing as well.

Some asked what happened and they answered that Snitch tripped, we all started laughing at that.

I turned to look around at all the newsies and saw that I was back at my uncle's house, laying on his couch. I glanced at the tv, the movie was almost done, Spot was getting a ride in Roosevelt's carriage. I got up and sighed, some dream, I didn't even get to learn how Bumlets, Spot and Race knew me.

I walked to my four year old cousin's room and peeked in on her, she was still napping. Good. I walked back into the living room and put my movie away as my uncle came in. He paid me and I walked home, jumping when my phone rang.

"Helllllllllooooooooo!"

"Hey, Skitters."

(so when I started this I actually a really good plan for this but yeah that got lost. Started this chapter and realized that I had no clue what the plan was, then this mess happened. Hope you enjoyed it more than I did. Luvs Cassy.

Ps. My father is still alive and well, and he doesn't play poker and neither do I.)


End file.
